The game of basketball has changed over the past 10-15 years.  It is has evolved from a finesse, ball movement game to a more match up focused game of speed and strength.  There are definitely more Shaq types pounding the paint than there used to be.  With bigger stronger bodies at every spot on the floor it is vital to get in the weight room.  No more shying away from strength training with lame excuses like, “it will mess up my shot.”  No it won’t.  Survival in today’s competitive environment requires a more complete athlete, not a wispy frail bag of bones.

I was shooting baskets for fun the other day and began to shoot more and more with my left hand (non-dominant).  I have played only a handful of times in the last couple of years, and the exercising that I have done has almost exclusively been with kettlebells.  I immediately noticed that my usually awkward motion seemed more fluid than ever.  My elbow felt comfortable inside and the movement seemed more effortless and almost as natural as my dominant shooting hand.  This was a surprise and as I was coaching myself and feeling the difference in my follow through it came very clear to me that the difference had been due to kettlebell training.  Exercises like the one handed kb snatch, swing, clean and jerk have taught my brain and my body how to more efficiently and correctly transfer weight from the floor to my hand.

When the UPS man brought my first set of kettlebells to my door a couple of years ago I struggled to snatch the 70 lb bell with my right hand and failed at my first attempt with my left.  For this reason and because I have always been right hand dominant I have always started my one armed lifts non-dominant side first. It has gone from awkward and weaker to, in many cases, my go to side.  The challenge of stabilizing the off-centered weight of the kettlebell can not only help the performance of your off hand or weak side, but bring into balance any disproportion your body might have.  I’m convinced that training with kettlebells can benefit any age, all athletes, and anyone wanting to improve their health and fitness.

A couple of years ago I came across the best tool I have ever seen for improving explosiveness, flexibility, core and total body fitness, strength and balance.  Young and old alike can benefit from the limitless kettlebell.  The swing, clean, jerk and snatch with the kettlebell can be taught to beginners and can challenge seasoned athletes alike.  It’s a great way for beginners to learn complex total body movements, at the beginning of their training career rather than later.

Kettlebells allow lifts that are safer and require less skill than their Olympic bar equivalents. Other lifts just don’t compare or translate as well to on-the-field performance. The kettlebell will help you master your body’s leverage points helping you reach your full potential for any sport or activity.  I have seen nothing that trains the central nervous system and incorporates a toes-to-fingertip power transfer like kettlebell training. Whether you are swinging a club, racket or a bat, jumping to pull down a rebound or exploding through the ball carrier, this should be incorporated into your training program.  Functional, tactical, usable strength is the key.  Laying the foundation with kettlebells can give you the edge.